Microbrewery to open in Emmaus

By Brian Pedersen,
November 4, 2013 at 10:00 AM
- Last modified: November 4, 2013 at 10:56 AM

Beer connoisseurs will have a new place to go when Funk Brewing Co. LLC opens its microbrewery in Emmaus. The company plans to sell and produce different beers, which are half-gallon refillable bottles known as growlers, when it opens in January.

The company also plans to open a tasting room to sample a variety of beer and offer public tours, said Kyle Funk, co-owner.

"Our business model is to package kegs to sell to bars and restaurants," Funk said.

The company leased 2,775 square feet of flex space at 23 S. Sixth St. in Emmaus and will have an additional 4,000-square-foot fenced parking lot, said Jay Haines, vice president of NAI Summit in South Whitehall Township. The lease will be for 38 months.

Haines represented the tenant in the lease transaction with The Frederick Group of South Whitehall Township, which served as the listing agency for the landlord.

Funk Brewing will have a 15-barrel system. One barrel is equivalent to 31 gallons.

"We'll be able to produce 465 gallons per batch," Funk said.

A batch typically takes two to three weeks to create from start to finish, he added.

Beers include an India Pale Ale, Blonde Ale, Pale Ale and rotating seasonal beers. Customers will also be able to sample a test batch of one of the new beers, he added.

The company hired a full-time brewer and two-part time bartenders. Funk and another partner own the business, Funk said.

"I have a pretty deep passion for craft beer," he said. "The craft beer market has taken off over the past five years. More young people are getting into it. It's exploding."

The company plans to team up with a distributor, with a main focus first on local market penetration, followed by expanded growth.

Once the company obtains all its building permits, it will begin construction renovations, he added.

Funk said the company budgeted $400,000 for the construction retrofit.

The goal, he said, is to create an interactive experience, where people can learn the different components of the beer-making process.

"When you come here to take a tour, you'll be right in the middle of a production microbrewery," Funk said.

Potential hours for the tasting room include Friday from 4-9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

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Brian Pedersen

Reporter Brian Pedersen covers construction, development, warehousing and real estate and keeps you up to date on the changing landscape of our community. He can be reached at brianp@lvb.com or 610-807-9619, ext. 108. Follow him on Twitter @BrianLehigh and read his blog, “Can You Dig It,” at http://www.lvb.com/section/can-you-dig-it.

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